Atlantis Rising
by Wild Nature
Summary: An AU story of the rise of Neo Queen Serenity with a senshi who acts as the catalyst when Atlantis's ancient people rise against her.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Faces, unrecognizable, breezed by the breaking ripples, flowing dangerously into each other, melding into blindness. The water seemed to shake and throb with unkempt energy, shattering the images, breaking them again and again, only to reform into a half vision, that of a world of decay and that of a crystallized world.

The girl shifted, staring at the puddle, entranced. She had pulled back instinctively, the fear beginning at the heels of her feet and she stared down before her eyes slowly widened. The images reflected back at her before she blinked rapidly, revealing that of a simple puddle.

"Bara!" A voice rang out loudly, carrying across the winds. The girl looked up, lightning striking the air, engulfing her in highlight. Despite the storm brewing, rain had yet to fall as she followed the other person to safety.

Bara studied the world from the kitchen window, her mother rummaging around for candles and matches. "Bara, get away from the window!" Her mother was older than most, having Bara when she was in her mid-thirties and it showed in her graying hair. What was once a brilliant light blue was dulled out and thinning, the creases around her eyes and lips worn out. She had dark blue eyes and was overweight by a good twenty pounds and she moved with difficulty. The woman was born in Japan but her heritage was that of African, giving her a chocolate-like skin color. Her daughter was a bit paler than that, as her father's heritage was Asian and together, produced a child with almond blue eyes, cool light chocolate skin, and the same brilliant light blue hair that had won her father over to her mother.

She was taller than most girls her age were and womanlier then she desired. Her mother called it early blooming; she called it a twist in fate. She was born as Tenyo Aounabara but everyone usually called her Bara. Not because she was a beautiful flower but rather related well to the sharp claws of the thorny flower.

She wore her light blue hair down constantly, evenly for the most part for a few scattered flips of hair for bangs, the rest twirling down to just past her shoulder blades, turning out unwillingly. She also wore black rimmed glasses, having worn them since she was around seven and the doctor deemed she needed them, badly.

She existed purely for herself, lost in her own thoughts. She was distracted once more to the world outside, lightning striking close to home.

"Bara?" Her mother broke into her thoughts, worry written over her face. "Where did your father say he was?"

"I don't know, he didn't say anything to me," Bara answered carefully, feeling sick. She felt an almost instant relief, seeing the car drive up the long driveway. "Oh! Here he is!"

Her mother moved toward the door and nearly ran out in happiness. Bara watched them, hypnotized. She tried to think of something, anything but she was pulled tighter to the window, her eyes glazed. She was whispering, her voice rising in a panic she could not explain. And when she finally screamed for her parents to come in, it happened.

They had turned, hearing her and had meant to return. Only the lightning struck the still running car and it erupted into a flaming pit of metal, swallowing the two instanteously.

"GET IN! GET IN!" She couldn't stop screaming, her nails digging into the painted wall as she fell to her knees. She dragged outside, her eyes wide in despair. She thought vainly that they would be all right, they would always be all right.

And the rain began, falling harder by the second as she looked out, her skin a sickly color. There was nothing to remind her of her parents but she knew if she looked harder, she'd find them, in bits and pieces. She retched and threw her head back into a howl as she dragged herself out.

She stood in the rain, the weather rapidly worsening until it was beating into her skin unmercifully. Her eyes stared, once more blinded. She only shifted when she heard the resonance of a beep and a car drove up, wheezing.

"Bara?" A voice called out. Her uncle looked out of the car. "What the hell are you doing out here? Where's your father? There's a bad storm coming and he was supposed..."

The man exited his car, fuming over his brother's apparent lack of care when he heard the soft crunch under his foot. His face blanched and he forced himself to Bara. "What... what...happened?" His teeth were chattering. "Bara?"

And Bara just stared at him, her eyes glazing over as pain burst through her heart.

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The visions never stopped. She felt pain tear each time she saw some face, some unknown identity washing over her. The feeling of suffering was refreshed as she saw soldiers among women, among normal and royal, fighting and living in peace. No matter what water surface she as at, even in her tears, she caught glimpses, tormenting her. One was especially strong, a woman aging rapidly, golden locks flitting in the winds, a beam of light that spread like a wildfire, causing the storms around her to still and Bara would suddenly be engulfed in something akin to peace.

She thought these people looked familiar so she began to research. It didn't take long to find articles written several years back of since forgotten soldiers. They were deemed either fools or people working for the government. She read testimonies from the scores of papers, of the powers that were inhumane, that were powerful and stunningly beautiful. She wondered who they truly were, these people. She learned their names with ease, neatly memorizing the brief glimpses of description.

She never could figure out why. She thought perhaps she was just looking for another excuse or something to draw her mind away from the past or away from her own thoughts of pain and guilt.

It took several days for the rain to have cleared and longer to gather what had been left. There was a proper burial but Bara now refused to speak. Her eyes were haunted, her mouth dry at most times. She didn't, and wouldn't, bath or shower, not wanting to touch water whatsoever.

But after a few long months, she began to break out of her handmade shell and found summer calling to her. Her uncle was relieved and only hoped to be able to be as providing as her parents. Despite their age, they had done quite well for her, leaving her an eventual account of money for college and several life lessons under her belt.

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Bara stared at the ocean water, unnerved. "Uncle?" She began tentatively, pulling on her bikini top. Her uncle tried to not point out that if she fiddled any more, it would fall off. "Why are we here?"

"Hoshi was wanting to go to the beach," he said lightly. Hoshi was her cousin, older by three years at the age of nineteen.

"But she could've gone out on her own," Bara began weakly, her eyes watching the tide pull in and out lazily.

"You'll be fine! Now let's see how those swimming lessons took!" Uncle said brightly. Bara was no so willing as he to enter the waters. She had taken lessons over just over ten years and that had proved itself to be a disaster. She could still remember floundering in the pool water, up to her knees as she panicked.

She walked away from him and toward the edge, pacing back and forth. She knew how to swim, she had learned at an early age. But something about the water, any water, gave her a feeling of deep routed and irrational fear. She neared the water's edge, feeling it lick at her feet as if tasting her.

She swallowed and moved closer, tiptoeing.

"God, you are a big, fat chicken!" Hoshi taunted ruthlessly. "Bwawk! Bwawk!" She was a short woman that was rather rounded. She was not pretty in much sense but rather plain if best. She wore her black hair long and tightly braided, her green eyes often full of either anger or happiness. She flapped her arms with gusto, her friends behind her snickering. "Poor little Bara can't swim! Oh, poor baby!"

"I can swim," Bara mumbled to her feet.

"Whazat? You say you need some help?" She snapped her fingers and two of the boys took over, picking Bara up like she was a garbage can and got in a few feet before tossing her as she kicked at them. She didn't yell nor protest but her eyes were glaring as she felt the water close in on her.

And she sunk, despite being in about four feet. If she stood, she'd be fine, if she just waded in but she opened her mouth, her eyes widening as she attempted to gasp.

And visions played above her, glittering like a movie on a television set above her, showing her things she couldn't grasp, couldn't understand. It was always that dual land, of life and death and she gurgled, bubbles flittering to the top as she felt herself get hefted up, someone shouting angrily. Her cousin took off with her friends as a brunette, about as tall as she was, shouted obscenities that made Bara's ears turn red but at the moment, she felt more blue than red.

She felt a whack on her back, a man's voice echoing in her ears. Her vision was still in two levels and she saw a man in wet swimming trunks, the other vision struggling to make itself known of the same man in velvet, the cape flowing out and the blue eyes shining with wisdom.

"Oh.." She was placed down gently, voices echoing around her as she bent her head down between her knees.

"Are you all right?" A woman's voice this time as she looked up to see a dark skinned woman, her emerald green hair, normally black but lit up brightly by the summer sun, smiled at her. She wore a simple summer dress, pale green and sparsely dotted with tiny swirls, mistaking themselves as itty flowers.

"I'm sorry. My cousin was just being mean," Bara began.

"You just lay in the water!" The woman shouting obscenities lumbered over. She was tanning a healthy color, her green eyes narrowed. "Are you crazy?"

"'Scept I'm suicidal," she whispered thickly to the sand. "I don't like water. Especially this big."

"If you know how to swim," A blue haired woman began. She was paler than the others and had on sunglasses, placed evenly over her head to reveal blue eyes. She apparently hadn't heard what Bara had said in the first line.

"Here, why don't we get away for a while from the water?" The darker skinned woman offered gently.

Bara looked up, her eyes glazed. "Do I know you?" She asked suddenly. "You're familiar..."

"Bara?" Her uncle had come over. "What happened?" His wife was behind him, toting the picnic basket. "Come on, we're setting up to eat."

"Coming, Uncle," as if suddenly remembering her manners, she bowed stiffly to the woman and then even lower to the man, hoping to get her thanks cleared to him. He smiled warmly and nodded as if to say 'you're welcome'.

She helped her aunt set up, her cousin coming up and making faces at her from behind. Hoshi had always been number one to her parents and she fancied her niece to be competition. It didn't matter to her that Bara's parents were dead, she still had to make her cousin's life miserable. They were literally at the opposite ends of the spectrum with each other. However, Bara never paid any attention to Hoshi, choosing the silent treatment over anything.

"Hoshi? Do you have something caught in your nose?" Uncle asked suddenly as Hoshi was in the middle of scrunching her face up uglier. Bara suppressed a giggle as Hoshi's face turned to a beet.

"Something's going on down there," Aunt said quietly, pointing carefully. There was commotion down the beach, a good deal away where the group she had seen were rushing away from the water's edge like drunken fools.

"Oh my.. GOD!" Hoshi screamed, pointing to the waters. "The TIDE! It's ..."

The tidal wave loomed, growing bigger by the minute. Bara suddenly knew why they were rushing; they were running to get away from the imminent danger.

"RUN!" Uncle shouted, taking Hoshi's arm and his wife, nodding to Bara. "Come on! We need to get out of here!"

Bara stood, transfixed at the water, the wave growing. She could feel it, throbbing through her. It was calling to her.

"BARA!" Her uncle had no choice but to leave her as Bara turned and ran to the water as if by instinct. She stared at it in awe, despite the familiar form of fear laying in her belly.

It was too fast approaching, many of the people still running. The beach looked deserted as cars fled, not caring that one human soul was still behind. She stood and offered her arms open, as if welcoming the tide to her.

"What are you doing?" She turned and saw her, a strange being dressed in a fuku. The same skin, the same eyes and hair as Bara studied her. A brief description, a sketchy photo clicked together and she spoke.

"You're Sailor Pluto, aren't you?" Bara asked absently, turning away.

"Bara? You must leave now," Sailor Pluto offered her hand carefully.

"Why?"

"We need you."

"No one needs me. Not anymore," The wave was nearly over them as Pluto stared at her.

"Please, Bara, you must take my hand," her voice came out slowly, almost lovingly. "It's all right..."

Bara turned to study her. Despite the calm posture, the eyes were what gave Pluto away, fear lurking in the far reaches as she offered a steady hand.

"All right," Bara agreed, taking the hand. And Pluto twisted her hand, the Garnet staff glittering as they dissipated into nothingness. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Bara stood floating over a endless sea, the waters rippling from underneath. The air was poignant with distilled energy, causing the hairs on her arms to shift on ends.

She looked down and reflected in shards was a glistening, golden city, of endless light and flowing waters that traversed continuously.

Watching still, she felt herself be tugged down into the waters, swallowing her whole as she touched the watery grave of the city. It was still shining, less brightly then when she was above. She moved slowly, gliding in the water, guided by the soft pull of the ocean currents until she came to a decaying temple, the stone walls overcome by moss and algae. There was no door as she touched a engraved symbol nearly hidden.

A dark blue tear drop, surrounded by three round aqua green gems, shone momentarily before the wall opened from the floor, sliding upward much like a futuristic door.

She moved quickly into the water, thinking of nothing but to follow whatever what was leading it. Be it feeling, the water, or the energy, she felt the insistent pull crying to her. She never even questioned how she was breathing or where her normal fear had deserted to.

She entered a rounded room, the walls curving up into a dome. There was no windows, no designs, merely that of silver white walls and a floor that shone. Her shadow scattered into pieces, only to reform again in front of her, as if now it would be her guide.

She came to the back, looking at the same symbol etched more strongly at face level. She touched it and it lit up yet once more and she heard something cracking behind and above her. The ceiling above was opening, the two halves of the top sliding away from the other, debris and dirt falling in a floating sensation to the floor. As it opened, a small round circle opened in the bottom, in the center of the floor.

And a tiny container pushed up, shaking slightly before it stopped. It ended at her chest as she peered at it. Then suddenly, the tiny container, dusty to the point that she couldn't see what lay in it, cracked loudly and the ensuring energy surge caused the water to fall back to create a nearly still air bubble.

She looked at herself, finding herself dry despite the previous conditions and turned to see a pearl be birthed from the contain, shining brilliantly before it dulled, floating there in offering.

Bara was, for the first time since her parents' death, since entering the waters, feeling something deep within her. This was not the fear she was used to, or the heartrending pain that had her cry herself to sleep. This was a peace, of something to come that would soothe her. She didn't hesitate as she grasped it lightly in her thumb and forefinger, bringing it closer to study it. It was dull and cool, whatever powers it possessed now sleeping again. But as she moved to closer to her eye, it erupted into light and disappeared from her fingers and she watched her hand become fisted, stunned. And she felt it, pain in her heart.

She covered her face in anguish, a sob breaking out.

The container crumbled to reveal a glass bowl, water glistening from it. And a thin line of water branched upward, opening into a view of a faceless, dark figure.

'Why do you cry?' The voice was echoing, filtering through as if through water, becoming muffled.

Bara stared at the indistinguishable figure before finding her thoughts. "I.. don't know."

'What have you lost?'

Bara stared at her hands, seeing them cupped together, the knuckles turning white. "Everything."

'Is that why you cry?'

Bara slowly shook her head, the memory of the sudden warmth of the pearl echoing dimly through her. "No.. it was feeling peaceful."

The figure seemed to study her. 'To be able to come here, you must be the one.. The one who will be the turning point.'

"Turning point?" Bara was starting to feel lightheaded.

'All that has been lost lay in you,' The voice came out softly, soothingly. 'All hope begins with you.'

"What am I supposed to do?" She was staring at the water underneath the vision, seeing the struggling image of decay and crystal.

The view began to drip down, as if melting. The voice came out but broken so badly that words were nearly incomprehensible save for two.

'Atlantis' Rising...'

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Bara started, rolling over and hitting to the floor face first. She winced, standing up groggily. "Oh.." Her head began to ache the moment she was up on her feet and straightened. She grasped it with both hands, her eyes welling up. She mussed up her hair even more then in the already worse state it had been in from the pillowcase.

"Are you all right?" A young girl about her age appeared from the doorframe. Her dark violet hair shone in the light, the shadow casting a black gleam. Her violet eyes were warm as she peered up at the taller girl. "My name is Tomoe Hotaru. You're in my family's home."

"Oh.." Bara tried to move and Hotaru reached up, touching her forehead with a bare glance of a feeling. She felt the pain ebb away as she pulled away. "My name is Tenyo Aounabara but I'm usually called Bara."

"Welcome to my home," Hotaru smiled. "You were asleep for a long time. You must have not been doing well for a long time."

"My.. parents died.." Bara spoke with difficulty, keeping her eyes averted. "I.. saw it.."

"I know how that feels," Hotaru murmured in agreement. "My father.. died in front of me as well."

"Really?" Bara asked, not in wonder or amazement, but suspicion.

"Yes but by that time, he was not my father anymore. I still blame myself everyday for it though," Hotaru looked up, her lashes catching the hint of tears. "It's all right to trust me, you know. We are.. alike."

"How so?" Bara was trying to keep a careful distance between the somewhat prophetic-like girl.

"We both share a similar destiny," Hotaru shrugged. "We have lost our loved ones, we both suffer for it."

Bara looked away for a moment before turning slowly. "You know.. about my special ability?"

"Setsuna-mama called it hydromancy. The ability to see things from a water's surface."

"I used to think, it was a joke. It only happened once in a while, barely enough to mean anything," Bara began desperately. "And then, it just kept coming, more and more until now, I can't see a single image, I get so many I cannot tell what I'm even seeing! I knew it, I SAW, my family, parents..." She was holding her hands, wrenching her fingers into her hair. "It was .. oh, god! Why didn't I do anything! I was useless! I was trying so hard to be worthy, to be of some help and I killed them.." Her voice came out as a tortured whisper. She was aware of the hot tears flowing down her face. "I..."

"It wasn't your fault," She looked down at Hotaru, her vision blurred with tears. She saw it then, an mere shadow of a vision cast by her tears of a soldier and a scythe, covered in darkening blood.

Her voice came out softly. "We are.. the same kind, aren't we? How can you stand it?"

"I've had many lifetimes to adapt. This is only your first try," but as Hotaru said that, her eyes turned dark before she waved her hand in front of her face, extinguishing whatever emotion she had been feeling.

"Hotaru?" Setsuna entered with a light step. "Haruka wants you to help carry in groceries."

"I'll be back," Hotaru promised.

"She's been lonely for a long time," Setsuna commented as she watched Hotaru round the corner. "I'm glad she has you to talk to."

"I should.. be going home.." Bara was mumbling to her feet again.

"Do you want to?" When she heard the question, she saw the home she had grown up in, a still photo of what had been.

"I guess.. home is no more. But my uncle.."

"We let him believe that the water swallowed you up."

Bara felt a sharp prick in her throat. "Why would you do that?" Her stage-whisper was grim.

"Because it would be best."

"Without asking me first, you mean!" She growled, anger growing rapidly.

"You took my hand," Setsuna reminded gently. "We need you."

"FOR WHAT!?" The dam broke again as tears flowed. She furiously rubbed her eyes, to make sure no vision would come. She wanted to gouge her eyes out, pain filling her until she felt like a balloon, one pin and she would erupt and fade into nothing more than a broken shell.

"You must help us save the world," Setsuna studied Bara, who was struggling to stop crying. "What did you dream of?"

"Atlantis.." Bara rolled her eyes, sniffling loudly. "The city, it was underwater but I could breathe. And a pearl, it was warm.. why did it disappear? I finally was feeling better than I have in months and it just..."

Setsuna interrupted her in the middle of the rant. "It probably went inside you. It happens," she shrugged at the raised eyebrows. "When you need it, it will resurface."

"Now, you can look around, if you like? I need to go talk to a friend. Make yourself at home," she nodded before she disappeared as well.

Bara stood next to the bed, unsure of what had happened, of what she was supposed to do. She sat down finally on the edge, watching her hands. She pressed them against her chest, for some type of reaction. It felt like nothing and then a tiny spark, shocking her as she pressed her hand harder. But nothing more happened.

She spotted the television set on the other end of the room. Now that she was alone, she was able to study the detailed walls, painted a brilliant cool yellow, the wallpaper along the bottom edges detailed in stripes and slashes of colors. The windows, to the front of her and the right of her, were covered in lacy curtains. One of them must have been open as a single curtain slowly shifted, a slight wind barely picking it up. She felt the wooly carpet, dark blue, against her feet and she started. She wasn't wearing her shoes and she wanted to panic for some reason. But she then saw them as she straightened and moved away from the bed, seeing them at the foot waiting to be placed back on.

The television was on a tall table, the legs thick while the rim of the table thinned outward and thickened inward to create a inner strength. The television itself looked a bit of a old version as she turned the knob and it flickered on, momentarily gray until it bloomed in color.

She turned the knob to a lower channel, searching out for a news casting. She found one that she thought was talking of the strange tidal wave.

"Scientists are scrambling around to find a way to slow down the process," a male newscaster spoke carefully, a image saying "Immediate dangers!" flashing next to him. "There is no logical explanation of the fast rising waters. The glaciers near Iceland and further upward are currently under scrutiny but there has been no sudden changes in the atmosphere to explain.."

She turned it off, her mind blank. The water rising, the tidal wave, something on Earth was being disrupted.

She looked out the window, seeing the far distance reach of a beach. She couldn't tell if there were anyone there but she decided to head out, to see if she could 'see' anything.

Getting out was easy, once she found the exit. She found the house oversized as she nearly ran out doubled over, hoping to not be spotted. It took her a bit longer to find the beach, having to had backtrack at least twice.

The beach was clear again, people apparently afraid to approach. She saw police tape telling her to stay out but she ducked under, oblivious to it all anyways. The water, once more, seemed to taunt her but she pushed forward resolutely, a grim set of her jaw and a hard glint in her eyes.

"Come on.." She spoke to the water, unsure of what she was expecting. She moved closer, before she realized she had her shoes on. She had put them on hurriedly, since it was easy as they were slip-on types. She now shook her legs vigorously, fuming at herself. "Come on!" Her voice out stronger. "What do you want from me? What is this 'destiny'? Just take me already!" She shouted.

Her voice echoed over the waters and she watched the water react suddenly, pushing away from her in a quantity that caused a temporary hole. But it sloshed back, spattering her with drops of ice water.

She didn't know what to do. She pushed inward, feeling the water climb up. The fear began to grip her again but she was frustrated to the breaking point. She cupped her hands together, clapping a small pool in her fingers as she peered down at it with a fixed stare.

"Come on.." She breathed before she saw it, a glimpse of the ruined city, the water bubbling around it. It was shaking as if it were responding to her and she frowned.

And then the sea erupted in front of her, a rather large group of men appearing. They were dark skinned, all varied in degrees but they had the same light blue hair shining amongst them. The one closest, wearing metal shoulder protectors attached to a metal chain vest and a rather large loincloth, his pants ending at his knees in bunching. He was barefoot and was heavily scarred, his eyes staring out coolly.

"My, my, is this what are ancestors have become?" His voice was like liquid, the water itself, cold and fluid.

"Who...?" She only got that one word out when he snapped his fingers, sending forth the group of men behind him toward him.

"Kill the traitor!" He shouted darkly, grinning manically.

Bara had no choice but to run. 


End file.
